With a 48-27 win over Meigs County that included 315-yards of total offense, the Athens High School football program left Bulldog fans with an exciting homecoming victory to start the weekend festivities.
Star running back Alex Pero built on his great season with 134-yards on 24 carries and three touchdowns that included a 70-yard kickoff return to the endzone. With no shortage of capable receivers, junior quarterback Braeden Young had an equally impressive night. He demonstrated the depth and dominance of the Athens offensive by completing five-of-seven passes for 53-yards while facilitating two touchdown passes for the Bulldogs.
The quarterback also recorded 10 carries for 67-yards rushing including a rushing touchdown. Similar to his teammate, Seth Hart had a great performance of two receptions for 16-yards and a touchdown.
Athens head coach Nathan White says while the Bulldogs' performances are continually exceptional, they have become an expectation of leaders of the young Athens team.
The leadership on the team has been felt throughout the season and has been influential in the development and success of younger teammates who continue to improve each week.
Anthony Sutton recorded his best game of the year with a 13-yard touchdown reception. The sophomore also rushed for 43-yards on four carries against an aggressive Meigs defense. Coach White gives credit to his offensive line for much of the success the team had on the offensive side of the ball.
“Meigs d-front (defensive line) was big and physical,“ White said. "I was really proud of our kids. Defensively, we knew coming in that they were very talented and were going to be difficult to cover.”
With 426-yards of total offense, senior quarterback for Meigs, Griffin Cleland, threw for 219-yards on 35 attempts despite completing just 17–passes. He threw for 3-touchdowns and had 13 carries for 85-yards and one rushing touchdown. Fellow senior Conlee Burnem rushed for 118-yards on 18 carries and had four receptions for 73-yards resulting in two touchdowns. Junior teammates Dustin Vance and Landen Dewees also played significant roles in the game with 31 total yards and 82 total yards respectively.
Despite its ability to drive down the field, Meigs had difficulty converting yards to points in the red zone and on crucial third downs. Self-inflicted errors also led to a disappointing game for the Marauders with a fumble, a failed 2-point conversion and penalties being the deciding factor in the matchup.
The Bulldogs took advantage of these errors and despite their slow start in the first half, got things turned around in the 3rd quarter, limiting the Marauders to just six points the remainder of the game.
When asked about the adjustments made during halftime Coach White said, “The best thing about our kids is you never have to question their mindset.”
With the knowledge and guidance offered by defensive Coach Matt Goodwin, White says applying more pressure on the Meigs County quarterback and altering the defensive line made a huge impact on the outcome of the game.
While still ranked 4th in the Tri-Valley Conference, Athens will travel to 3rd-ranked Wellston next week for another conference matchup and the opportunity to advance in the standings heading toward the postseason.
After a successful performance last night, White says his team “must continue to improve every day. We have to continue to be good up front on the offensive line, continue to execute with our skill guys, and be physical and aggressive defensively.”
While there are always areas to improve on, Coach White also notes the significance of their performance in front of a crowd at home.
“These kids have worked so hard,“ White said. "It feels good that they get to win in front of the homecoming crowd and play really well.”
Athens will look to continue its 2-game win streak next Friday at Wellston with another conference match that will kick off at 7:00 pm.
